What to do when you lose your sense of taste

A human tongue has around 25,000 sensor cells. Taste buds can detect all tastes, but some areas of the tongue are more sensitive to them than others. The tip of the tongue is particularly sensitive to sweet things, while the sides at the front react more to salt. The sides are most sensitive to acidic flavours. And the back third specialises in bitterness. It’s a good idea to experiment with different flavours if you lose your sense of taste.

If everything tastes the same, there’s a risk that your diet will also become one-sided and lack important nutrients.

Several studies have shown that colourful dishes make you fuller and more satisfied. To make your food more interesting, try adding diced carrot to spinach, add puréed beetroot to potatoes or serve a piece of chocolate cake with a turmeric latte.

The aroma of soya sauce or Parmesan generally gives a meal a more intensive flavour.

Roasted nuts, seeds or roughly chopped salty peanuts or cashews can enhance the flavour. The same is true of crunchy fruit and vegetables such as apples and carrots.

Adding more sugar or salt may seem like an obvious solution, but it’s not a good idea.

While patient organisations have been set up in many countries, German-speaking countries are lagging a bit behind. However, there are some groups on social media where you can share information.

Psychologist and smell and taste researcher Kathrin Ohla is a member of the steering committee of the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research (GCCR). She and her team have developed a test for anyone who wants to measure their sense of smell and taste at home: riech-check.de (in German)